Alex Harris


Education:
- Gonzaga College HS, 1996
- LeMoyne College, BA Philosophy, 2000
Playing Career:
- Gonzaga College HS, All-WCAC, All-Met, #1 Ranking Washington Post, WCAC Tournament Championship
- American University 1996-1998, CAA All-Rookie Team
- LeMoyne College, All-North East 10
- Notre Dame, Dublin, Ireland. IBA Professional League 2002
Coaching Career:
- St. John's Prospect Hall Asst Varsity 2000-2002
- Over 8 years experience as basketball trainer
- Has developed over 35 collegiate players
- 5 years of AAU Experience

 

With out a doubt I look back to my days at Gonzaga and see how that shaped me as the coach I am today.  I was fortunate enough to have some of the best coaches around. Dick Myers is one of the most successful coaches in the history of the high school game, but beyond that he and the entire coaching staff are even better known for developing their players through fundamentals and a strong understanding of team play.  Through countless hours of fundamentals training with Coach Myers or asst Coach Bill Whitaker not only was I taught how to play the game the proper way, but it was solidified in my mind that when my playing career was over I wanted be able to have that same impact on young players that my coaches had on me. 
 
My basketball career after Gonzaga was fun and rewarding but at the same time difficult and not what I imagined.  My Freshman year at American University I was given the opportunity to start and play about 30 minutes a game, I was even named to the CAA All-Rookie team which was all a dream come true.  Everything was going the way I wanted... Unfortunately with a injury my Sophomore year it knocked me out of that season and then with a coaching change, things were not going so well.  I decided to transfer to LeMoyne College (Syracuse, NY) for my remaining two years.  As it did at AU my career started great at LeMoyne earning my way into the starting lineup and having quite a bit of success, but a knee injury (ACL tear) would knock me out once again.  I went into my Senior year not being able to play the game I loved for 6 months prior and had quite the roller coaster ride of a season.  It really was game to game, I actually had my career high of 25 points one game and then because of the knee I had 0 points in the next.  The upside to my time at LeMoyne was that I had coaches that were great teachers of the game similar to my time at Gonzaga and I am still grateful to everything I learned there.  It helps me to this day to be a better coach every time I step on the court. 
 
After graduation I became a teacher and coach at St. John's Prospect Hall (Frederick, MD) but quickly realized that teaching in the classroom wasn't for me.  One of my co-workers at St. Johns said to me one day "find what you love to do and make it your job, you'll never go to work again for the rest of your life".  I took that statement to heart and realized that being at basketball trainer is what I truly wanted to do.  I look back to my days at Gonzaga and have such fond memories of all of the hours spent in the gym for practices and workouts and I know now that is the part of the game I truly love.  Don't get me wrong, I love the games and the competition, but the preparation for the games is where I feel I really thrive. 
 
I am forever indebted to the excellent coaching and fundamentals training I received throughout my career by all of my coaches and feel it is now my job to pass all of that on to the players I am able to work with now. 

                      Alex